Having been away for days at a time over the last three weeks, our goat husbandry responsibilities have kind of gotten ahead of us. Let's talk goat boys. Let's be specific; Myles and Mickey.
Aside from getting Hunter to help with trimming their hooves, we will also make sure they are adequately supplied with eat at their own leisure the mineral supplement.
Feeding Myles and Mickey their minerals is important for their overall health and well-being. Minerals are certainly essential nutrients that they require in specific amounts for proper physiological functions and to maintain optimal, not minimal health. Here are a few reasons why we feed goats minerals:
Nutritional Balance
Promote Growth and Development
Reproductive Health
Disease Prevention
Overall Health and Vitality
The group of goat enthusiasts that we belong to on social media are strong advocates of letting the herd have constant access and letting them eat at their own liking. Every once in a while I will see one of the boys move over the portion I provide in their feed trough and take a few nibbles. The mineral we use from Purina responds with a 'crunch' as the boys nibble.
One reason we are so demanding about providing our boys with minerals is the copper content in the mineral. Unlike sheet, goats rely upon copper to ward off parasites, worms.
Copper has been used as a supplemental treatment to help control internal parasites, particularly gastrointestinal parasites, in goats. It is thought that copper ions can disrupt the metabolism and reproductive processes of parasites, thereby reducing their population.
If you have never visited with our family of animal friends here at RGM Farms, we cannot wait to introduce you. And if so inclined to have the FULL experience, you may join us for feeding at 6.30 AM or 9 PM or any of the scheduled health care and barn duties we typically do on Saturdays. Oh, if you are interested in Goat Yoga, you will have to speak with Myles and Mickey about that. See you soon!
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